BRITAIN AND SPAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 April 1938, Page 7

BRITAIN AND SPAIN

St r w v. /■ I! iwttssa; omvLut RUG RYY April Hie qC AUxqII Im written te tile Pr iuie Minister- (Mi\ Cbamberi lain) resigning, from her- position, oil ecatwaat Government tier reason is the tnilurev in tier vlew» of tlieGoverument io take attenuate steps to ! secure the withdrawal of Italian 1 troops from Spain before the signature of the Italian pact or to take action with other Powers to safeguard peace in Central Europe and on the \ shores of the North Sea —all matters which, she feels, vitally concern the safety of the country. The Duchess reaffirms her Conservative principles. Mr. Chamberlain, in a reply to the Duchess of Atholl’s letter* of resignation. said all the reports sent to him \ and to the Foreign Office by the Duchess, reporting the alleged arrival in Spain of Italian troops and material, had been found either to be entirely incorrect or so improbable as to have affirmed a virtual certainty that they were incorrect. He could not accept the (contention that Italy had not fulfilled ‘the condition indicated. It was true that no withdrawal of Ital- ’ ian troops had yet taken place, but “it was never demanded or expected of' Italy that it should effect a unilateral withdrawal.” The policy of non-intervention, Mr. Chamberlain said, was originally, and had since been continuously applied' by Britain in an entirely impartial manner, and he could not agree that it had benefited one side more than the other. Mr. Chamberlain, dealing with the Duchess’s complaint that non-inter-vention had prevented Spain from buying arms, stated that some governments' already recognised General Franco’s administration, and "If His Majesty’s Government were to depart from the policy of non-inter-vention its action would almost certainly be followed by an immediate increase in arms supplied, not to one, but to ,both sides. In that event a situation would arise fraught, in my opinion, with the greatest danger to the peace of Europe. I am satisfied that the interests of fair play have not suffered through the policy of non-inteiivention in Spain, and nothing you ’have said shakes-’my view that to depart from that policy would involve very great dangers to European peace."

SPANISH GOVT’S NOTE. ' (Received April 30, Noon). LONDON,' April 29. The Spanish Government,-in a note to Britain, mentions the deep dismay with which it received 1 the news, of the exchange letters relating to affairs in Spain, accompanying the Anglo-Italian agreement. It asserts that Britain legitimised. Italian intervention by implying' that the Italians shall remain in Spain until the end of. the conflict. '’Since this attitude harms inepntro-vertabl.v-the highest interests of 'the Spanish state in defence against external aggression, it. is difficult to reconcile it with? tire principles of the impartiality objectivity,. on which, despite constant protests frdtq.Jhe Spanish Government, Britain . claimed.- to base her policy regarding- Spain, since the outbreak of the'Avar." The note ■ adds" thgt ,'th.e, Spanish Government fii i inly'.aiid' energetically protests against' themanifestation" of injustice. . ■<■'j . •! ■ . FRANCO’S. OFFENSIVE. ,•' BARCELONA, April 29.' Franco has been forced to abandon tho attack on the Mediterranean — Teruel fronts, as' of ’.the Loyalists’ complete check on the big rebel offensive along the coast. The drive towards Castellon was given up after heavy losses. The rebels also suffered severely l in unsuccessful onslaught in the Treinpt sector. ~ PORTUGAL’S DECISION. « LISBON, April 29. The Premier of Portugal (Dr. Salazar) told the National Assembly that Portugal would shortly recognise General Franco’s Government. \